href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@12742@[email protected]#Footnote_33_33" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">^[33].

Satchells, who lived when the old border ideas of meum and tuum were still in some force, endeavours to draw a very nice distinction betwixt a freebooter and a thief; and thus sings he of the Armstrongs:

On that border was the Armstrongs, able men;
Somewhat unruly, and very ill to tame.
I would have none think that I call them thieves,
For, if I did, it would be arrant lies.
[xlxviii] Near a border frontier, in the time of war,
There's ne'er a man but he's a freebooter.

Because to all men it may appear,
The freebooter he is a volunteer;
In the muster rolls he has no desire to stay;
He lives by purchase, he gets no pay.

It's most clear a freebooter doth live in hazard's train;
A freebooter's a cavalier that ventures life for gain:
But, since King James the Sixth to England went,
Ther has been no cause of grief;
And he that hath transgress'd since then,
Is no Freebooter, but a Thief.
History of the name of Scott.

The inhabitants of the inland counties did not understand these subtle distinctions. Sir David Lindsay, in the curious drama, published by Mr Pinkerton, introduces, as one of his dramatis personae, Common Thift, a borderer, who is supposed to come to Fife to steal the Earl of Rothes' best hackney, and Lord Lindsay's brown jennet. Oppression also (another personage there introduced), seems to be connected with the borders; for, finding himself in danger, he exclaims,—

War God that I were sound and haill,
Now liftit into Liddesdail;
The Mers sowld fynd me beiff and caill,
What rack of breid?
[xlxix] War I thair lyftit with my lyfe,
The devill sowld styk me with a knyffe,
An' ever I cum agane in Fyfe,
Till I were deid.—
Pinkerton's Scotish Poems, Vol. II p. 180.

Again, when Common Thift is brought to condign punishment, he remembers his border friends in his dying speech:

The widdefow wardanis tuik my geir,
And left me nowthir horse nor meir,
Nor erdly gud that me belangit;
Now, walloway! I mon be hangit.

Adew! my bruthir Annan thieves,
That holpit me in my mischevis:
Adew! Grossars, Niksonis, and Bells,
Oft have we fairne owthreuch the fells:
Adew! Robsons, Howis, and Pylis,
That in our craft hes mony wilis:
Littlis, Trumbells, and Armestranges;
Adew! all theeves, that me belangis;
Baileowes, Erewynis, and Elwandis,
Speedy of flicht, and slicht of handis:
The Scotts of Eisdale, and the Gramis,
I half na time to tell your namis.
Ib. p. 156.
When Common Thift is executed (which is performed
upon the stage), Falset (Falsehood), who is
also brought forth for punishment, pronounces
over him the following eulogy:
[xlxx] Waes me for thee, gude Common Thift!
Was never man made more honest chift,
His living for to win:
Thair wes not, in all Liddesdail,
That ky mair craftelly could steil,
Whar thou hingis on that pin!
Ib. p. 194.